The United States and several of its allies called Wednesday for a 21-day ceasefire across the Israel-Lebanon border as they work to prevent a regional war from erupting and to jolt stalled hostage talks between Israel and Hamas.

Israeli airstrikes have claimed over 630 lives in Lebanon since a further 72 people are reported by the nation's Health Ministry to have been killed in attacks on Wednesday, resulting in emergency talks at this week's U.N. General Assembly in New York.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid has called for a 7-day ceasefire. He said Israel should accept the plan but “only for seven days so as not to allow Hezbollah to restore its command and control systems”.